Latest revision as of 02:41, 20 October 2009

Definition

Fluorination is the chemical process of adding the element fluorine into a molecule. Fluorine has atomic number 9 and is in group 17, the halogens. Fluorination is a kind of halogenation.

Applications

Fluorinating or applying a fluorinated coating to a surface lowers the surface energy and makes the surface more hydrophobic. Desbief et. al.[3] coat an aluminum surface with fluorinated block copolymers to make the aluminum more hydrophobic.

Many companies make fluorinated plastic containers that are less permeable than plain HDPE containers.

Lots of common pharmaceuticals are fluorinated. Fluorinating a pharmaceutical makes it more lipophilic, enhancing absorption of the drug [4]. Common fluorinated pharmaceuticals include Prozac, Paxil, Celebrex, and Lipitor [5]. The pros and cons of fluorinated drugs and their effects on the environment are a topic of debate.